Team GB legend & BBC pundit defends ‘fantastic’ Olympic breakdancing

Breaking made its Olympic debut in Paris in the last few days of the games and it’s safe to say fans were unimpressed by the new event.

It’s derision escalated after Australian star Raygun managed to score zero points with her bizarre routine.

And it appears that organisers were left equally unenthused with breaking not on the agenda for the next Olympics in LA 2028.

That may come as sad news for legendary cyclist Hoy who found himself rather enjoying the sport as some athletes demonstrated it during Sunday night’s closing ceremony.

After the ceremony had concluded at the Stade de France, BBC host Clare Balding described the scene that occurred while the music acts performed: ‘After all the athletes invaded the stage and then got pushed back, they created a big circle behind us here.

‘One person after the other came into the middle and did a routine, it was brilliant!’

BBC pundit Hoy then admitted how entertained he was by the display, saying: ‘I think the best demonstration of breaking was during the ceremony.

‘[The] impromptu display and they all started doing it. It was amazing and all the athletes crowded around it. To me, that’s what breakdancing or breaking is about.

‘It was fantastic! I don’t know if he was a basketball player but a tall chap, walked into the middle and everyone went “this is going to be good”, and he just did some press ups and that was it – but it was so much fun!

‘It was a celebration, it was showing their skills and everyone was supporting each other.

‘I think that it what the sport was trying to show at these games.’

Hoy is one of Team GB’s greatest ever Olympians with six gold and one silver medal to his name, though he’ll have to wait until at least the 2032 in Brisbane before he can have a go at breaking at the games.

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